2025 Romance Beach Reads That Will Totally Take Over Your Summer

2025 Romance Beach Reads That Will Totally Take Over Your Summer
Letโs talk about beach reads for a second.
Not the kind people use as a punchline when theyโre trying to say a book is โfluffyโ or โnot real literature.โ The kind that ends up sunscreen-streaked and a little warped from the humidity, because you actually read it on a plane, by the pool, in the parking lot of Target while waiting to pick up snacks for said pool day.
Thatโs the energy I want going into my 2025 romance beach reads list.
Books that keep you company in your tote bag. That donโt judge when you drop them on your towel and go take a nap instead. That might be a little messy. A little chaotic. But always deliver on vibe.
This summer, I invited Victoria from BiblioLifestyle to join me for a chat on the podcast, and together we unpacked not just what weโre reading, but what even makes a beach read, wellโฆ a beach read.
(Spoiler: itโs not a genre. Itโs a feeling.)
Prefer to watch instead?
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Victoriaโs 2025 Romance Beach Reads
Victoria certainly brought some fun books to bring to the pool with you. Five 2025 romance beach reads that bring the heat, the heart, and the kind of story you want to dish about with your friends after.

Problematic Summer Romance by Ali Hazelwood
Letโs just say this: people have feelings about this one. Big ones. But sometimes, the books everyoneโs yelling about are the ones Iโm most curious to read. And Problematic Summer Romance leans into that chaos in the best way.
Set on the Sicilian coast, it features Maya (a side character from Not in Love by Ali Hazelwood) finally going after the man sheโs had a thing forโฆher brotherโs best friend. Cue age gap drama, wedding week tension, and flashbacks that unravel what brought them to this moment.
Hazelwood handles the subject matter with more sensitivity than some give her credit for. If you’re not bothered by an age gap romance and youโre into vacation settings + banter + a little feminist bite, this oneโs worth the buzz.
Want more romance books set in Italy? I have a whole list for you to choose from!

Itโs a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan
Former tween TV star turned film producer? Check. Script that hits a little too close to home? Yep. A pop star ex-crush who shows up with opinions and sparks? Absolutely.
Monaghan delivers one of those sun-drenched romances that makes you feel like youโre watching a movie unfold in your hands. This one has summer festivals, a little career chaos, and all the โhow did we end up here?โ energy you could want from a second chance thatโs not quite a second chance.
Bonus points for the messy celebrity backdrop. Because nothing says beach read quite like famous people with unresolved feelings.
Grab Itโs a Love Story on Amazon

Rules for Ruin by Mimi Matthews
If your idea of a summer escape involves corsets, finishing schools, and class tension (hi, itโs me), then this oneโs for you.
Set in Victorian England, our heroine is a proper young lady by day and secretly fighting the patriarchy by night. When she teams up with a gruff stranger from the London slums to expose a corrupt politician, things getโฆcomplicated. And deliciously slow burn.
Matthews knows how to blend historical accuracy with feminist heroines and romantic tension that feels earned. This oneโs part intrigue, part enemies-to-lovers, and all atmosphere.

Along Came Amor by Alexis Daria
Want a trilogy that ends on a high note? This oneโs your go-to.
Along Came Amor closes out Dariaโs latest series with a divorced schoolteacher, a hotel mogul she wasnโt supposed to fall for, and a wedding weekend that brings it all crashing back. The โone night that turns into moreโ trope gets a fresh, summery spin here, and the family dynamics? Impeccable.
Even better, if you havenโt started the series, book one features a celebrity romance thatโs equally bingeable. Start anywhere. Youโll end up reading them all.
Grab Along Came Amor on Amazon

Fan Favorite by Adrienne Gunn
Okay, if youโre a reality TV gremlin, this book will feel like coming home.
Fresh off a breakup, our heroine discovers her high school love is now the star of a reality dating show. And somehow she ends up on the cast. (Blame it on the tweets and the wine.)
This one is pure entertainment, with a showrunner love interest, pop culture Easter eggs, and the perfect blend of heart and hilarious chaos. It feels like binging an entire season of The Bachelorette, but with better writing and actual emotional payoff.
So what makes a beach read?
Itโs not about a location. Itโs not about heat levels. Itโs not even about whether it ends in a wedding.
Itโs about the kind of story you want to escape into. Something that holds your attention even when life is loud. Something that fits in your bag and your mood. Something that maybe, even just for a few hours, feels like a vacation.
Theseย 2025 romance beach reads? Theyโre giving all of that.
Need more summer reads?
Head to our Summer Books list for a whole shelfโs worth of recommendations.
Now tell me, whatโs your perfect beach read vibe this year? Leave a comment or DM me on Instagram. I want to know what you’re packing in your tote.
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